Hospital table



March 14, 1933.

F. KUSTERLE HOSPITAL TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mam 7' fizz/vb M2 @7 12 Filed Feb. 9, 1931 March 14, 1933. F. KUSTERLE 1,901,174

HOSPITAL TABLE- Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lit/77157 flm/z/ M20 12 w Patented Mar. 14, 1933 same STATES PATENT D FRANK xusmnann, or KENOSHA, isconsin, ASSIGNDR T0 snviMoNs coivrreni on NEW YORK, n. Y., n oonroaa'rron or DELAWARE HOSPITAL mists Application filed. February 9,1931. Serial No. 51e,408.

This invention relates to an improved hospital table construction and has particular reference to an improved arrangement for vertically, adjustably mounting a table top on a supporting structure. The invention also has reference to a hospital tableernbodyinga main table structure including a main table top, anauxiliary table top, and a mounting such as above referred to, for the latter, whereby the auxiliary top isalso rotatably adjustable horizontally relative to said main table top. i

The main objects of the invention are, to provide a vertically adjustable table'structure which is positive inits action and not apt to slip or become out of order; to provide such adjusting mechanism which is easy to operate, so that a hospital patientconfined to a bed can operate the same without great exertion; to provide an adjusting mechanism located within a hollow supporting post; to provide such an arrangement which does not adversely affect the generally neat outside appearance of the structure; to provide, in a hospital table structure embodying a main supporting structure and a table topladjustable to over-the-bed or oifsetposition relative to said main supporting structure, means for preventing tipping of the structure when the auxiliary top is'in such'offset or overbalancing position; and, in general, it'is' the object of the invention to provide an improved hospital table structure of the type referred to.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings (two sheets) illustrating a hospital table of the type referred to, and certain details of its construction.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation; i Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and l Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the lines -1-4E and 5+5, respectively;

Referring now to the drawings, my. improved hospital table comprises a main table top 10 'and main supporting frame ll to.

which the main table top .10 is secured. The structure also embodies. an auxiliary table top l2which is carried by a supporting post 13, the latter being rotatablymounted on the main frarnell and provided with a laterally offset foot portion 14 disposed beneath-the auxiliary table top 12, substantially as shown inFig. 2, for the purpose of preventing overbalancing of the structure when the auxiliary top is in the offset or over-the-bed position illustrated in full lines. As indicated 'by broken lines in Fig. .2, the auxiliary table top 12 is mounted so as to be swingable about a vertical axis to a position overlying the main tabletop l0. j 7

The supporting post 13 is preferably in the form vof a square metal. tube and-it is rotatably mounted on the main frame 11 by means of vertically spacedbearings 15and 16. The bearings 15 and 16 maybeof sub stantially like construction, the details of which are illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. v

By inspection of Figs. 3 and 4,it will be seen that the bearings in which the post 13 is rotatably mounted comprise strap metal, members 17 bent to form a substa'ntially, circular loop, the. ends of the stripbeing turned outwardly to form ears 18, 18. The bearing member 17 is adapted to be mounted on the member 21. As shown, the upper portion of the bearing member 21 is turned outwardsupport the post against downward move- 1 ment through the member 17 in the eventlthat i ly to form a flange designed to rest on the upper edge of the loop memberv 17 to thereby the table structure-as a whole is'lift'edfrom the floor when being purpose. a J v y The auxiliary tabletop 12;may beof moved, or for any other these parts being covered with a sheet metal' or other suitable cover element 25. 'At one side, the auxiliary top 12 is provided with a bracket element 26, this bracket being se cured to the auxiliary table top in any convenient manner. I In this instance, it is illustrated as. being secured to the table top by means of a stem or 'shank27 formed integral With the bracket 26 and fitting through openings provided in the frame 23 and projecting into the intermediate cross member 24. These parts may be secured together by welding, brazing, or in any other appropriate manner; V

The bracket26' also embodies a depending hollow part 28 which is designed to-receive the upper end of a square tube orsleeve 29, the-hollow part 28 being provided with an internal stop flange 30 for limiting insertion of the sleeve 29. A set screw 31 may conveniently be utilized for detachably securing the sleeve 29 to the hollow part 28 of the bracket. f I

The sleeve 29 is auxiliary table topand it fits slidably within the hollow post 13.

For adjusting the auxiliary table top vertically relative to the supporting post 13 and main table top 10,and for holding the auxiliary table top in the desir ed position of rela handle 3 lobviously serves to facilitate rotation of the screw.

V For co-operating with thescrew 32 within the sleeve 29 and post 13, a nut 36 is pro- I vided, this nut being non-rotatably secured in a tube or other suitable support 37' which is secured by means of a cross pin 38 at its lo'werendto the hollow'post 13. The tube or nut's'u'pport 37 extends: upwardly from the cross pin 38 to supportthe nut 86 adjacent the top of. the post13. The tube 37 may conveniently be another-square tube, and the nut 36 may be 'squarein-cross section to fit the tube'so as to be non-rotatable therein.

7 Also,the'nut may be provided with. an ex ternal flange 39at its upper end for engaging the-upper endof the supporting tube 37, whereby the nut is held against downward .m'ovemen t: Preferably but not necessarily,

the nut 36 is atightfit the tube 37, or secured thereto so as to be, not readilywithdrawn therefrom.

I elongated to provide the desired range of vertical adjustment for the It will now be apparent that by rotating the screw 32, the auxiliary table top 12 will be adjusted vertically, inasmuch as the screw is axially fixed relative to the auxiliary table top, while the nut with which the screw cooperates is axially fixed with respect to the supporting post 13. The lower end of the screw 82 isdesirably provided with a reduced shank portion 40, free from threads, for .free rotation within the nut 36; Hence, in the event that the screw 36'is turned to such an extent that the threaded portion of the screw is turned out of the nut, the shank 40 will remain therein and constitute a guide for restoring co-operative engagement between the screw and nut upon proper rotation of the screw. j

In the drawings, I have illustrated the hollow post 13, the sleeve 29 and the nut support 37 as beingtelescopically fitting tubes. It is, however, tobe understood that inthe commercial embodiment of the described structure, these tubes need not be offlaccurate interfitting relationship, but should be free: ly sliclable relative'to each other, so that resistance to vertical adjustment of the auxiliary table top will be of a minimum amount 7 and, as a practical matter, no greater than is incident to the weight of the adjusted parts. Obviously, the screw-and-nut arrangement will serve to hold the auxiliary top in the desired position of adjustment, it being understoodthat the pitch of the screw threading is not sufiicient'to permit rotation of the screw within the nut solely by reason of the weight of the screw and parts supported thereby.

. I am aware that changes may be made. in the above described structure without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible consistent with V the state of the art. 7

I claim as my invention: 1. In a hospital table, the combination of a table top, a hollow post for. supporting said top, means for vertically, adj ustably mounting said top onv said post comprising a nut disposed inside of said post and mounted therein so as to be non-rotatable and support ed against downward movement, a screw mounted on said table top so asv to be rotatable in axially fixed position relative thereto,

said screw depending from said table top and 1 into said post and having co-operativel engagement with said nut, whereby the table top is vertically adjustableas an incident to rotation of the screw, and a handle disposed above said table top and connected to said.

screw for facilitating manual rotationthere 2. In a. hospital table, the combination of a main table top and a supporting frame therefor, an auxiliary table top a. hollow post ro-,..

tatably mounted on said supporting frame for rotatably supporting said auxiliary table top,

means for vertically, adjustably mounting said auxiliary table top on said rotatably mounted post including a screw-and-nut device disposed inside of said post, said auxiliary top being thereby horizontally adjustable from a position overlying said main table top to an offset positionoutside of the area of said main table top, and also vertically adjustable relative to said main table top, and an offset foot carried by said rotatable post in fixed relation thereto, saidfoot underlying said auxiliary top for engaging the floor outside of the area of the main frame to prevent overbalancing of the table when the auxiliary top is adjusted to said offset position.

3. Ina hospital table, the combination of a main table top, a supporting frame for said main table top, an auxiliary table top, a hollow post rotatably mounted on said main frame, a sleeve depending from said auxiliary top and fitting telescopically into said post, a rotatable but axially fixed, elongated screw s depending from said auxiliary table top within said sleeve, a nut disposed inside of said sleeve for co-operating with said screw to effect vertical adjustment of said auxiliary top incident to rotation in the screw, and means inside of said post for non-rotatably supporting said nut adjacent the upper end of said post and against downward movement there- 1n.

4. In a hospital table, the combination of a main table top, a supporting frame for said main table top, an auxiliary table top, a hollow post rotatably mounted on said main frame, a sleeve depending from said auxiliary top and fitting telescopically'into said post, a rotatable but axially fixed, elongated screw the part carried by said post being secured thereto below the lower end of said sleeve and extending upwardly into said'sleeve for cooperative engagement with the other part within the sleeve.

FRANK KUSTERLE.

depending from said auxiliary table top within said sleeve, a nut disposed inside of said sleeve for co-operating with said screw to effect vertical adjustment of said auxiliarytop incident to rotation of the screw, and means inside of said post for non-rotatably supporting said nut adjacent the upper end of said post and against downward movement therein, said screw having a reduced lower end portion adapted to turn freely inside of said nut out of co-operative engagement with the threads thereof. a

5. In a table structure, the combination of a table top, a hollow post for supporting said top, a sleeve depending from said top and fitting telescopically into said post, a screw and nut device within said sleeve and post, one of the parts thereof being carried by said table top and the other by said post, said posts being in cooperative engagement inside of said post, and means whereby said deviceis manually operable to thereby efiect vertical adj ustment of the table top relative to the post. i

6. In a table structure, the combination of a table top, a hollow post for supporting said top, a sleeve depending from said top 

